Applying to Oxbridge for 2023 intake

[riverpebbles]

Not sure if there is already a thread on this? My son is hoping to apply to Cambridge for Computer Science for October 2023 start.

I can't comment on Cambridge but things don't quite work like that at Oxford.

Different colleges take different numbers of students - so for Maths, some colleges might take 8 or 10 a year, some might take 2 or 3. You can look at numbers on the individual college websites.

Although you apply to a college the faculty is also involved - so if a particular college gets lots of applications and another less so a dc may be reallocated. Similarly, if a college interviews but doesn't offer because they have offered to others, the faculty will find them a place if they want the candidate.

The most important thing for Oxford is scoring high enough in the MAT to secure an interview - they only interview about 30 % of applicants rather than the 75% that Cambridge do.

@User11010866 you might find these tables helpful to look at - no accepted at each college for each subject and how many are reallocated to other colleges - public.tableau.com/views/UniversityofOxford-CollegeSuccessRates2020/CollegeSuccessRates?:embed=y&:display_count=yes&:showTabs=y&:showVizHome=no

Oxford shuffle candidates about between colleges pre interview to roughly interview 3 candidates per place as @beeswainbees said.

Also quite a few courses then review at the department level after initial interviews and then conduct a second set of interviews a week later. Varies lots by subject so worth looking up admissions feedback (Keble, Mansfield, Somerville, Merton) all publish feedback. For Geography they said they didn't do second interviews while for MFL they do quite a few (my DC was reallocated to a very different college to that she applied to but she is now having been to an offer holder's day delighted with her college-just A Levels to get now)

For Maths the department publishes feedback too.

@Juja @beeswain Many thanks.

Hi, ds has a plan to start a blog as he’s been told that Oxford like them and he’s got a topic he’s interested in writing about,

Can anybody recommend a good site please ?

[quote Juja]@Cubangal if you haven't already have a look these resources might be useful. Good luck to your DS, great he's on a summer school.

a) Geography admissions feedback www.mansfield.ox.ac.uk/sites/default/files/inline-files/Geography%20Admissions%20Feedback%202021-22_0.pdf

b) Stats on which colleges have lots of applicants - geography students it seems only get interviewed at one college - some reshuffling occurs before interview public.tableau.com/views/UniversityofOxford-CollegeSuccessRates2020/CollegeSuccessRates?:embed=y&:display_count=yes&:showTabs=y&:showVizHome=no

c) look at the list of fellows and their research interests - e.g. if you're not interested in glaciers don't choose a college where it is the Tutorial Fellow's passion! www.geog.ox.ac.uk/staff/

Also for PS illustrate reading beyond A Level -- a fellow told my DS they are expecting applicants to have gone beyond Tim Marshall's Prisoners of Geography.

Do PM me if you've any more specific queries my DS is in his first year Geography.[/quote]
I only just got back online, thanks so much for these links.

And I'm not fussed either way about gender, I'm cool with whatever.

Hi All
Just discovered this really useful thread. My DS really wants to apply to Cambridge to read Theology. He's got four eights and six 9's at GCSE but one of his 8's is in RS, will that make a difference. He's on target for A*s in RS, Classics and Geography A level with a theological EPQ. Has anyone got any experience of Theology? Seems thin on the ground except the info given by the college and his school seem a little clueless. 😱

Hi @Karmacat my DS has an offer for Theology and Philosophy from Oxford. I don’t think the 8 will matter at all; that’s still an excellent result. I think showing evidence of enthusiasm for the subject is key. My DS’ personal statement was all about how his interest had developed through reading and podcasts etc. People always ask him if he’s planning to be a vicar, which he isn’t but he is really interested in thought and belief processes!

@Letsgoforaskip thanks for the reply. He's definitely not interested in being a vicar! He just loves the subject. He's reading a lot of extra books and listening to podcasts and also entered the theology short film competition so I'm not sure he can do much more.

@Karmacat that sounds brilliant. 😊

Hello all, this thread fell off my notifications for some reason! We've booked some open days to other universities now and registered for others. Exams that will form the basis of predictions straight after the holidays. Trying to get my son to choose a properly safe 'safety' in case it all goes tits up is proving tricky!

A question about open days. My son has booked onto the open day at Cambridge, he wants to go on his own, is this what most students do? I don't want him turning up and everyone else is with a parent.

@Karmacat my DC went to O open day in 2019 with school (last time they happened face to face) but then went around by themselves on both days so I am sure your son will be fine by himself. The key is to make a plan for the day, what times the talks are, which colleges to visit and do the tutors in his subjects have talks or drop in sessions- where are the free lunches! printing out some maps and timetables help - my DC managed to forget phone and wallet... he is now at O and having a great time though how he gets through the day I sometimes wonder.

There will be lots of parents at open days but I don't think it matters. Interestingly my other DC is this spring going off to offer holder days at and it turns out parents go to those too. It never crossed my mind parents would be invited but clearly they are. DC didn't tell me parents could go - even separate talks for parents it seems. I'm clearly kept informed on a need to know basis.

@Juja thanks for the information, he's very independent so I'll drive him and then make sure he has his timetable and leave before I can embarrass him, which I've been told I'm a pro at.

My DD is thinking of Cambridge for Eng Lit - she is our eldest so we are complete novices in all of this and I have to say even just reading this thread has left me feeling v daunted 😩 she got straight 9's in GCSE's last year and is on track as far as we are able to tell to meet entry requirements re a level grades for English but other than that we need to do a lot of research including making sure she understands what she is about to embark on and whether she is really committed or whether she just thinks she should IYSWM

@babyblackbird we are going through this for the first time too. It seems quite complicated all he's done is look at the individual colleges to get an idea. We have an open day in a couple of weeks so I'm hoping he'll get some clarification. I'm trying to encourage him to pay more attention on his other UCAS choices as Cambridge will be a long shot. There is still lots of time.

Karmacat the majority go with either their parents or school. Taking the entire family is frowned upon. We went to several subject specific talks in my DD's now college in 2019. Each time the tutors made it clear that they would only answer questions from the young people as it was their day.

@Karmacat I’m going through this the first time too with my DS and he too doesn’t see any need to have me do anything more than to either provide car transportation or see if trains are doable. At the end of the day all our kids are different and it is their future, so all we need to do is let them do it the way they wish. Some students will wish for their parent(s) to go with them, so will happily go with school or with friends. They are young adults and we should give them the choice.

Joining in! DD is hoping to apply to for English Literature. She has researched which college etc. Like many parents do of their offspring I think she is amazing and know she would thrive there as she is self motivated, articulate and likes the one on one tutoring style. We both know she will be competing with so many very capable DCs but if you don’t try it will never be a possibility.

Joining as my ds is thinking of applying to Oxford to do PPE. It's all a bit of a mystery to me and I don't think school offer much in the way of support for applications.

I had assumed that parents would not attend open days (they didn't 30 years ago) but apparently it is absolutely standard now. Not required by any means but my friend teaches sixth form and says many many parents attend open days with their children. I suspect it started to change when fees came in.

Pinkpip my DD is 2nd year PPE so fell free to ask away.

@babyblackbird

My DD is thinking of Cambridge for Eng Lit - she is our eldest so we are complete novices in all of this and I have to say even just reading this thread has left me feeling v daunted 😩 she got straight 9's in GCSE's last year and is on track as far as we are able to tell to meet entry requirements re a level grades for English but other than that we need to do a lot of research including making sure she understands what she is about to embark on and whether she is really committed or whether she just thinks she should IYSWM

We are also going through it for the first time, we've got no idea really where to start but hopefully it'll become clear after the Sutton trust residential.

@Karmacat

A question about open days. My son has booked onto the open day at Cambridge, he wants to go on his own, is this what most students do? I don't want him turning up and everyone else is with a parent.

My son will have to go alone, they are on week days and I work in education so can't have the day off.

I wonder if this year Oxford and Cambridge will have their interviews in person or online. Oxford website says I for regarding this will announced soon.

*info regarding this!